There may not have been such a captivating title race since the Bavarians seized back the Bundesliga throne from Dortmund a decade ago, and the two titans of German football locked horns here in what was billed as the most significant match of the season.
A languid Bayern defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last time out not only allowed Dortmund to ascend atop the standings but also saw the controversial replacement of Julian Nagelsmann with former BVB boss Thomas Tuchel.
The opening stages saw Dortmund possess all the energy and passion which had helped them vanquish a nine-point deficit since the winter break, but their bitter rivals snatched the early advantage in the most bizarre circumstances.
Dayot Upamecano’s long ball looked to have overshot all those in red and white, but in a moment of madness, Gregor Kobel came storming out of goal and swung at thin air. The ball bounced past the Swiss stopper, and his head was in his hands as it trickled into the empty net.
The advantage was a springboard for the home side, and they showed total dominance before doubling the lead. A Joshua Kimmich corner was glanced on by Matthijs de Ligt, and the ever-lurking Thomas Muller was at the back post to poke in before Dortmund defenders could blink.
Bayern can be utterly relentless when in full flow, and chance after chance rained down on the opposition goal.
Dortmund looked a shadow of their recent selves as Leroy Sane saw a long-range strike pushed away by Kobel, but the legendary Muller smelt blood once again, pouncing on the rebound to put the game seemingly out of reach with the Allianz Arena clock reading less than 25 minutes.
They remained in full control for the remainder of the first half, and Tuchel will no doubt have been elated with his first 45 minutes in charge in Bavaria.
Edin Terzic hoped that changes on either side of the break would switch fortunes in favour of his team, but their arch-nemeses were unwavering and cruised to a killer fourth. Leroy Sane glided inside and sliced open the defence with a fizzed ball to Kingsley Coman, who slid under Kobel with ease.
Bayern were still dominant, but Dortmund were offered a glimmer of hope when Serge Gnabry took down Jude Bellingham in the area, and the resulting penalty was dispatched confidently by Emre Can.
Dortmund were still much the inferior side, but they managed to further pull back when Raphael Guerreiro and Donyell Malen swapped passes at the edge of the box, and the latter side-footed into the bottom corner past a faltering Yann Sommer.
This was little consolation for Dortmund, who fell to a disappointing defeat and relinquished their place at the Bundesliga summit in the process. There was delight in the Bayern camp, meanwhile, as they became firm favourites for yet another trophy win with a two-point cushion.
Flashscore Player of the Match: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
